NBA Trade Rumors: Interest Shifts To Randle With Morris Off The Table

With the New York Knicks seemingly bent on keeping Marcus Morris, the attention has now shifted to other forwards. Bobby Portis and Taj Gibson have been frequently mentioned but one player who could be a steal is Julius Randle.

Signed earlier this season to a three-year $62.1 million deal by the Knicks, trading the 7th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft has been mentioned on several occasions. Looking at his performance this season, Randle has not been performing badly. According to Basketball-Reference.com, the former Kentucky Wildcat has played in 42 games averaging 18.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in 32 minutes of action. Unfortunately, his efforts have not been enough to help New York's 2019-20 campaign.

The Knicks are currently 12-32 in the NBA Eastern Conference and would need a major run to catch the last bus to the postseason wars. With a season seemingly lost, the Knicks are speculated to be selling off some players with the intent of getting future assets in return. In spite of this, Randle remains unfazed, according to a report by the New York Post.

“Nah, bro. Honestly, I ain’t worried about it. You start — my sixth year, you start to realize this is a business. You can’t worry about what you can’t control,’’ he said.

Though Randle's game is not perfect, he is still young at 25 years old. He has shown progress in six NBA seasons with his most notable performance happening last season with the New Orleans Pelicans. Randle averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 30.6 minutes of action during the 2018-19 wars.

As mentioned in a previous report, Randle's lack of a consistent outside shot is something that needs addressing. Though he has proven he can operate efficiently inside the paint, his 6-foot-8 frame could run into trouble when he goes up against taller forwards.

With the Knicks forced to reset once again, Randle technically fits the youth movement of New York. But if a good deal comes their way, New York could bite and send Randle (plus others) packing. Either way, Randle has been in the league long enough to know that there is a business side to his pro basketball career.